You haven't seen the last of me Yet
by GypsySoul05
Summary: Set 8 years after high school, Lopez finds herself fleeing Miami, her job her life and going back home to pick up the pieces to start again. Along the way she finds that something didn't stay the same, and that somethings never change. And then there is the shock of realizing that she may not have ever known a certain Diva...but she wants too. Rachel Berry isn't who we remember.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Santana sighed in frustration. How was she back in Lima, OH? She had asked herself numerous times on the drive from Miami to her hometown. Worse it was with her tail between her legs. She had just been fired from her prestigious law firm after Snix had reared her head. This time it truly wasn't her fault. She had tried so hard to keep her inner demons to herself...but in the end the truth revealed the end result was she was heading back home to lick her wounds and to start over. If she was being honest though she was mortified to go home again she was excited to be back where she first started to be.

She cranked the radio a little bit louder and decided to drive straight through the last 10 hours left. Remembering life in Lima, OH. the glory days, the fun, the conquests….oh the joys of being young. She sang along with the song…"I pity the fool that falls in love with you!" Oh also she got dumped by her 4 month girlfriend when said girlfriend got a peek at that sobbing Snix version of Santana. She didn't miss Dani, but she didn't like being dumped...who did?

"And although there's pain in my chest

I still wish you the best with a

Fuck you!

Oo, oo, ooo"

Santana pulled into her parents drive exhausted, it was early 3 am early. She smirked at the home that she had left 8 years ago. Not much had changed. It was still the matching beige color as all the other homes in the gated community. All the homes had the same look and style...cut out from the same cookie cutter builder 40 plus years ago. But it was still home. She could see the Fabray's prestigious lion like statue that marked their drive. The Pierces' large grinning cat mailbox that was 7 houses down. Nothing really seemed to have changed. Not enough that stuck out drastically. Sure Santana had come home over the years for holidays and mini vacations and her Abuela's funeral. But still she had expected something to be different since her entire world had been turned upside down. But the world in Lima, Oh just kept spinning...even without her revolving it. It was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Guess she still had more growing up to do. She let herself into the front door, smiled when her mother's perfume greeted her, just floating in the air as she stepped inside. Her father's forgotten lab coat hanging from the stair banister. Her mother keys in the bowl that sat on the hall table. A pair of cleats of her youngest brother were haphazardly sitting on a stair half way up the stairway. She was home. It was home, not everything had to change.

Santana was sleeping in her old bedroom that had been converted into a guest room several years ago, when she felt her mother climb into the bed, snuggling into her and whisper "I love you baby girl. I'm glad you're home."

"Hola Mama, I'm glad to be home." she said barely holding back her tears. She had held it all together until she had heard her mother's voice.

"It will all be okay. One door closes another one will open." she promised smoothing her daughter's hair from her face. "You will pick yourself. You're not done yet." she promised and that was it. Santana fell apart, holding onto her mother as she sobbed. She sobbed for the loss of who she use to be, who she turned out to be, who she was never going to be.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Santana had been back in Lima for a month. She had run into a few of her old high school friends. But most of them had taken the first ticket out of Lima and refused to look back. She was full on depressed, she had been blacklisted in Florida, so she had been cooling her heels trying to find employment anywhere but there. Thing was her confidence had been shot, she had been clearly knocked off her perch and she was too scared to start the climb. She was the wounded walking, and she hated herself for it.

Currently she was out to lunch with a few of her mother's real estate friends having a nice lunch. She was bored to tears on the inside, but if not for her mother's friends she would be friendless. It was truly pathetic. Lima was too small town for her, but she was too chicken shit to do something about it. She was reflecting in her pathetic life when her mothering calling someone over to the table brought her back to the table.

"Leroy! I haven't seen you in weeks!" Maribel said as the man approached. She stood to hug him quickly.

"We just got back home this morning." he admitted with a tried smile. "I'm just popping in to pick up lunch, we were too tired to cook and honestly the pantry is bare." he laughed. "How are you? You look well" he held onto her arms as he looked her over.

"I'm good. What amazing place did you travel to this time?" she asked her voice having an excited tone to it.

"We weren't traveling with DWB, this time." he laughed. "We were on tour with Rachel, matter fact she will be ending the tour in a week or so and she will be taking sometime off, it will be nice to see her without her entourage." he laughed.

"That sounds lovely. I caught the last televised show, perfection as usual. " she said looking at the table." Oh excuse me." she blushed. "Do you all know Leroy?" when they all nodded she sighed in relieved. "Santana you remember Leroy Berry."

"Hello Dr. Berry it's nice to see you again." santana smiled and shook his hand.

"Santana Lopez you haven't changed a bit since high school." he said pulling her into his arms for a quick hug. "It's been far too long since I have seen you." he took a step back. "Rachel will be so excited to see you when she returns."

Santana chuckled. "You sure about that?"

"That was all in the past, i think you might just both surprise one another." Leroy said with a bit of a smirk as squeezed her mother's hand again. "Listen I have to go they must have the food ready, but let's get together later this week. We'll have a small dinner party, what do you say?"

"We'd love to." Maribel said again with excitement.

Santana fought to not roll her eyes, small town Lima….looking forward to and getting excited about small dinner parties. She missed the real world, the pace, the rush, the people.

"Ok ladies. See you later, enjoy your lunch." and with a little wave goodbye he was gone.

By the time that Friday evening came around even Santana was looking forward to the dinner and she was dumbfounded as how that came to fruition. She held both the flowers and wine bottle as she stood behind her parents as they rang the bell to the Berry's small not so cookie cutter home. It was just as she had remembered from the glee sleepovers.

"Come in. come in! So happy to have you." Hiram Berry opened the door wide and called them into the house. The large door dwarfed him as he stood next to it. It wa as thick as her upper arm and at least ten feet tall. It swung inward and took up most of the foyer. It was the biggest item in the cottage like home, but somehow it all worked really well with the rest of the home. "Let me take your coats."

"Thank you for inviting us."

"Something smells devine."

"I've made Imam Bayildi." he said hanging up the last garment as he ushered them into the living room. "It's this delicious Turkish dish that we discovered in Europe. I think you'll love it."

"We've never eaten something that you cooked that wasn't delicious." Mario Lopez laughed assisting her wife to a seat in the living room.

Hiram found himself blushing and nodding. "Maribel and santana you both look beautiful as usual."

Santana frowned, why were they all acting so friendly. Sure Rachel and she had repaired their friendship by the end of highschool and yes she may have spent some time at the Berry household over the years. But they were acting like they were one big happy family and personally it was freaking her the fuck out. "Ah..thank you Dr. Berry."

"You'll have to use first names Santana there are too many doctors in the house." the silky voice reached out to her from behind her, she schooled her face and was glad that she was wearing a long sleeve shirt so the goose bumps didn't show.

"I suppose you're right Berry." she turned slowly and took in the petite girl infront of her. She was different but still the same.

The years had been kind to Rachel Berry, more then just kind. Her hair was lighter with the help of some blonde undertone streaks, her makeup was flawless. Her eyes sparkling, perfect teeth slightly showing as she bit the corner of her lip. She fixed her wardrobe finally, it was a drastic improvement.

"I usually am." she said softly. See.. _Still the same._

"Same old Berry." she muttered with a smirk.

"Somethings are timeless." she chuckled as she came around the sofa and patted the Latina's hand. "It's good to see you Santana, you look amazing as usual." she leaned in and kissed her cheek. "Flawless, just as i remembered you." she pulled away and winked.

Santana felt her breath get caught in her body. Her brain stroking out. _Did Rachel Berry just flirt with me?_ She watched as Rachel greeted both her parents with controlled oozing charm, making small talk as she found a seat across from Santana. Rachel talked up her parents as she smiled, bit her lip, rubbed her foot over the back of her calf leg, crossed her legs, leaned into the conversation. All the while keeping Santana's attention and at arms length...but keeping her in the conversation. Shit she couldn't explain it, but it was something. The entire night was like that. All push and pull. Up and down. Left no right. By the time the night was over, she couldn't tell what was right or what was wrong.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

It was two days after the dinner party that Santana ran out of patience for understanding. She had never really been that understanding to start with. She fished her keys out of her large bag and made her way to her car. She drove over the Berry's house in record time and was at the door ringing the bell before she even had to talk herself out of it.

"Santana.."

"Berry." she said as she pushed her way into the home. She walked by a chuckling Rachel and made her way to the kitchen. "I need coffee."

"Help yourself." she mocked as she followed the taller girl. "You passed 4 coffee shops on the way here."

"You have a french press."

"True." Rachel admitted with a hip leaned against the wall, her head cocked to the side. "But i think we both know that you're here for another reason."

"Good you tell me so we both know." Santana muttered as she glanced over her shoulder at the petite singer. "You're so different but so still the girl from highschool."

"There is truth to that statement. Lima brings it out of me, it's easy to slip into a role that people remember and appreciate." she said with a shrug.

Santana frowned, she turned back to her coffee making and thought. _Still talks in riddles, but something isn't right. What is her deal?_

"Santana why are you here?"

"Lima or your house?

"Either, both?"

"I have been asking myself that question for a while now." Santana admitted. "As for your house I have been thinking about the dinner party since it happened two days ago. It seemed weird."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know you were being weird." she said finally sipping her coffee and sighing in appreciation of the amazing blend of bliss.

"I was being weird? You barely said 50 words the entire dinner. You kept staring at me and muttering under your breath." Rachel laughed

Santana narrowed her eyes, and came around the corner to stand in front of the frustration hobbit. "You flirted with me."

Rachel laughed. "Oh is that all? It's a free world, Lopez. I can flirt with whoever I want, whenever I want." Rachel laughed and leaned forward and placed a hand onto the Latina's hip. "You're cute, I flirt with people who are cute." she leaned in kissed her nose. "Don't take it personal Lopez."

Santana watched as Rachel left the room hips swinging and she caught herself watching her ass. _Fuck. Wait...what?!_

"Santana! Bring the coffee into the living room we can watch reruns." she could swear she heard her still snickering at her from a few rooms away. _What the actual fuck?_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

5 months later

Santana found herself smiling for the first time since she and Rachel split ways in Lima. She had taken a job offer in New York by a small law firm, today actually. She had come to the city about two weeks ago, her mother finally convincing her that not everything was too good to be true.

When rachel had left Lima, Santana had once again found herself depressed, but energized she had her confidence back. She was _Santana freaking Lopez_ again, and it was time for the world and herself to remember that. So she had hopped on the bandwagon and started to really look into finding employment.

When the job from Harrison & Harrison landed in her lap she just refused to believe it. It was too good to be true. It came with a benefits package, housing stipend and they wanted her to start right away and were willing to pay her moving expenses. Honestly she was almost positive her parents had pulled some strings, borrowed a favor….something ...but they denied it over and over again.

Her mother nagged her until she took the interview, first over the phone. Then the skype with the two partners, and finally today in person. They hired her on the spot, even after she admitted to them that she was hot headed, controlling, stubborn and demanding. They just laughed and said she was perfect for the job.

So here she was outside the tall building of her new office, overwhelmed, delighted and excited. Who knew her open door would be New York? Laughing she headed down the street with a bounce in her step, she had to go pick out her apartment from the four that the firm had picked out for her.

She fell in love with the third place that she saw. It was perfect. It was small under 1000 sqft. But in NY terms it was huge. It had a great view of a park, good parking, close to the subway and it was away from the street and all the traffic noise. The original hardwood floors, updated kitchen and bathrooms. Her furniture was being shipped from Miami this weekend, and then she would be settled. She finally made it to NY, she hadn't even known that was her destination until she stepped off the plane and felt its embrace.

Santana was on her third day of sink or swim at the law firm, up to her eyeballs with case files. What no one had told her was that the two partners were going into a soft retirement. Meaning that they had pulled back on all their own cases and would only be taking on cases for particular clients...which meant high profile or easy. Taking over would be one of their eldest sons, who Santana detested he was a silver spoon brat that was in the office less then the two partners. Then there was Brad, oh Brad was adorable, in that 'I have been living in the shadow of my older brother my entire life and need to prove myself' he was a great lawyer and a great person to work with. They carried most of the caseload, but Brad was easy to work with. They both had that common goal of proving themselves.

There were two much younger lawyers that were under them, who listened to santana's take charge attitude and Brad just loved having her there to pull them all together and give them directions. Santana had already requested that she be able to hire her own Paralegal and Legal Secretary. Her workload was three times anyone else. But she also recommended that Brad do the same as they were carrying the majority of the cases. The law firm that she had been misguided to believing was small….it was a very common mistake. The openated with that small town charm. But Harrison & Harrison was in their 7th generation. Santana had goosebumps of some of the past and current clients.

They had just hired their new staff including two clerks, two paralegales, two legal secretaries. Santana felt that they might need to hire a file clerk or two but she needed to get organized first to know where they stood. She looked at the large office as it was, there was no organization whatsoever. She frowned and looked at the partners and their sons.

"Can I speak frankly?" she asked softly her hangs where slightly trembling and she wanted them to stop so she clenched them behind her back.

"Yes Santana, please go ahead." Teddy Harrison was a big laughing old man with little hair but a great personality. Santana looked to James Harrison and then to Denny James's son. They all nodded, with a smirk on their face, that Santana found annoying.

"I think that we need a full overhaul of the office. We have three floors of utter chaos no one knows where anything is. The place is outdated and we need to bring us into this century and we need to be organized."

"That will take time." James said with a frown.

"Yes it will." Santana admitted. "I think that we will need to close the office for at least two weeks. We will need a cleaning crew, and organization crew, and a builder to come in and fix this place all up. It will take a minimum of two weeks once all the planning is done."

"Two weeks!" Denny shouted coming to his feet. "What about our cases?"

"I didn't say that we would be out of work for two weeks, I said the office would be closed for two weeks. We will work at home or the court houses. We'll have to get creative. IF that doesn't work for you we can rent out a small space for the time and work out of there, or you can go on vacation and we can request continuations on the case that you are working on Denny."

He scoffed. "If I'm on vacation who will oversee what is going on here?"

Brad came to his feet. "Santana and I can oversee the project. I think it's a much needed move."

After that they all but left everything to the two of them. The only thing that they wanted control of was their own offices, and their wives had taken on the decorating of them. Brad had an old Yale friend that was an architect, who he begged to hire. Santana found it cute, and how bad could they be?

Santana was in her makeshift office, shuffling case files, on the second floor when her phone buzzed. "They're here." Brad said with a lift in his voice.

Santana chucked to herself. "Ok meet you in the conference room." She straightened her suit pulled her suit jacket from the back of the chair and walked out to the conference room to meet their new architect. She wondered who this person was that Brad clearly thought hung the moon.

She smiled at the new members of her team Jal her clerk was piling files into a box haphazardly as he rocked out to what ever was playing in his headphones. He looked like a hot mess with his curly im controllable hair and his wrinkled button down that was only buttoned once and showing off a t-shirt with a fire blazing dragon underneath. He was in his own world.

She passed Tyson, her paralegal, as he spoke heatley into the phone with what Santana could only hope wasn't a client. He was very passionate. His blonde hair was perfectly in place, his suit pressed to perfection and cut with sharp edges. His blue eyes sparked when he glanced up at her, he grinned and rolled his eyes as he let the person on the phone have it again.

Divia her legal secretary waved her over. Her grey blue eyes were watering with mirth. Her dark jet black hair was wound tight in a high bun, she had a striking bit of white at her temples, she was a gorgeous forty something woman who loved to laugh usually at her or Brad to their dismay. "OH lord he is a mess, and he is way out of his league, get in there and save him from himself."

Santana rolled her eyes and bit her lip. _It can't be that bad._ As she walked in she watched him miss his chair entirely and land on his ass... _it was that bad_. He jumped off the floor and shot her a look. The architect had their head in thier bag and missed it and he pleaded with her not to say anything as his face turned blue with embarrassment.

Santana hid the laugh and turned to look at the woman that was causing such a disaster, but then she wasn't able to hold it back anymore she threw her head back and laughed so loud and hard that she had to hold onto the door frame unless she fell. All eyes on her.

"Hello Santana." the hazel eyes crackled with familiarity and came to her feet to pull the laughing Latina into her arms and kiss her on the cheek. "It's been a very long time."

"Quinn you know Santana?" Brad looked back and forth between them.

"We went to high school together." Quinn said sitting back in her seat

"Satan?" he laughed, remembering all the storied from Yale that they shared from her high school.

Santana pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes at Brad, as she took a seat. "And don't you forget that."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

The two weeks that they rebuilt the office was the perfect time for Quinn and Santana to catch up about all things. Santana learned that Quinn had moved to New york for an ex lover, but when things hadn't worked out she decided to stay anyway. That the city spoke to her and inspired her. So she had stayed with the small firm that she was not part owner in, which she had gained over many years of hard work. She was happy single and she too had a crush on Brad, so Santana played cupid and got them to go on their first date. It was win win for her, it meant that she got to see Quinn even more when she popped in for lunch on their newly decorated 2nd floor office. It had been about 2 weeks since the office had reopened. Everything was moving so smoothly, all the clients had nothing but compliments of the updates and how much more efficiently they were working together.

"Ms. Lopez?" her phone intercom buzzed.

"Yes Divina?"

"Denny Harrison is on line 2, are you in?" the older woman laughed. Satana looked at her desk it was a freaking mess. If he was about to drop another case on her he was going to scream.

"Thank you Diviana."

"Hey Denny, what's up?"

"Listen I have this high profile pain in my ass, they just showed up in my office, when I wasn't there they threatened to fire the firm. I need for you to take over the case i just don't want to deal with them anymore."

"Denny, if this client is firing us what do you think I can do to stop it?" she said frustrated, pushing her papers into a bigger pile to hide in a drawer.

"Just use your charm." he said then hung up the phone.

"For fucks sake." she muttered. "Divina!" she called out, when Divina was in the doorway she continued. "Have someone go up to the 3rd floor and escort Denny's former client to my office please."

"That is the second one this week." the older woman muttered under her breath. Santana couldn't even defend Denny, the truth spoke for itself. Santana quickly cleaned up her desk and pulled the flint from her suit jacket. Readjusted the ladies to make sure there wasn't too much cleavage but just enough. She straightened the items on her desk twice before the knock on her door announced the new client. She came around her desk and pulled the door open to be greeted by Tyson, who rolled his eyes at her. "I think there has been some mistake." he whispered to her. "And if not Denny has taken on more than he can chew." Santana glanced behind them to the person that stood in her waiting room. The woman was facing away from them talking on her cell phone in a hushed irritated tone. They were dressed in faded ripped tight fitting jeans, their left arm was covered in a sleeve of tattoos. Threw the ripps of the jeans Sananta would see hints of another large tattoo that was peeking through. The hair was dark, piled up on their head showing off some interesting neck tattoos. The outfit was complete with a tiny faded Jem t-shirt _Wow_ was her only thought until the person turned off and whipped off her glasses.

"I'll call you back." she said and tossed her phone into her purse and breezed past her and into Santana's office. _What the actual fuck!_

"That man is a waste of space, I will not be pawned off on him he is a pompus ass hole. I want to talk to Teddy right this minute." the woman demanded sitting in a huff with her arms crossed.

"Well that is at least familiar. What the fuck Rachel?"

"Hello santana, i'm sorry that man pisses me off."

"Hello Santana?" she demanded. She rounded the space and sat on her desk. "What is up with this look?"

She demanded wanting answers for the tattoos and the clothes, it was so not the Rachel Berry she knew...it wasn't the Rachel Berry she had seen just a few months ago.

Rachel rolled her eyes and took a steady breath. "What's the big deal? People change."

"I saw you a few months ago."

Rachel finally grinned. "Yeah you did." she stood and leaned into Santana and kissing her on the cheek, liking the way that the Latina seemed to lean away from her.

"Care to explain?"

"I keep up the act for my dad's it's exhausting. But it makes them happy."

"Act?" the lawyer found herself flustered.

"Yes the all american perfect next door act that i created in middle school." Rachel shrugged. "They sacrificed alot for me. It's the least i can do."

"So this," santana gestured with her hands. "Is the real Berry?"

"Who knows." Rachel admitted with a wry smile, she moved around the office looking at the art work and Santana's certification.

Santana didn't know how long they stood there. One of them trying to figure the other one out, and the other waiting for that to happen. "What did you need today? I mean why were you in Denny's office?"

"I had an appointment." Rachel said with exasperation. "I set it up for a month ago, it was rescheduled for today and he botched it again. " she came and sat back down in the seat. "I refuse to work with him. I want to talk to Teddy."

Santana bit her lip and went to sit behind her desk. "Well teddy is taking less cases as he is getting ready for retirement, which is why Denny ended up with your case."

"I don't have a case Santana." she narrowed her eyes. "I am not a delinquent."

"Okay."

"I have been using Harrison & Harrison since i signed my first contract for Fanny." Rachel frowned, as she pulled out her latest contract out of her bag. "I like to have them looked over before i sign myself to projects. But thanks to his incompetence I have to have this signed and delivered by tomorrow or i lose out all together."

"You have an agent." santana said taking the contract when it was handed to her.

"Yes, but i find it's best to get an opinion from someone who will not directly benefit from a project." she said with a frown as her phone rang. She glanced at the phone screen and frowned again. " I have to take this call, I''m sorry i don't mean to be rude. Can you look over the contract while I step out to take the call?"

Santana nodded and watched the woman leave her office. She looked over the contract it was a standard contract but there was clause that she didn't like the wording for and it could potentially lock Rachel into more shows for less pay, and another that stated that if there was temperament disagreement that if she left the show before its end that she would forfeit all her proceeds. She jotted her recommendations onto her notepad. She picked up her phone, "Divina, can you call up and have the Berry file delivered and all corresponding material."

"Yes Ms. Lopez."

Santana was finishing her last notation when Rachel walked back into the room, she looked even more angry then she had been when she left. "Everything ok?"

"Just a small bit of drama." Rachel brushed it off and hipped Santana's desk. "So what's the verdict?"

"It's mostly ok, but you can't sign it. They have verbiage in here that will lock you into things that may make it difficult down the road to get out if you become unhappy with the project."

"Thank you. I didn't like it either and i wanted another opinion. Denny had told me to just sign it." Rachel let out a breath. "Can you have it rewritten tonight? I need to have it delivered tomorrow morning by 10am."

Santana looked at the time it was a little before 1, that seemed doable. "I can have a clerk work on it right away. Be right back." santana stepped out of the office and called Jal over.

"What's up boss?"

"I need this retyped with the verbiage change that I have made here." she pointed to the other paper in her hand. "Its top priority I need it done as soon as possible, client will be here until she can sign it."

"Sure thing." He plugged in his headphones and quickly got to work.

She found Rachel back in her office sitting at her chair holding an old picture of the glory days. Her mother had sent it a few weeks ago when she found it in storage. It was their National Glee win them all wearing the black and red dresses pictured with their large trophy. "Glory days." she said softly.

"You were amazing that night." Rachel said looking at her with a soft smile. "You never seemed more confident or in control while you commanded that stage."

"It was an amazing night." she shrugged, took the picture back and placed it back on the desk. "So what's up with this version of Rachel?"

"Nothing." Rachel smiled and pulled santana into her lap. "You not like it Lopez?" she asked burrowing into the taller girls hair.

Santana froze Rachel kept surprising her. "I didn't say that." she admitted still slightly breathless. "I'm just not sure i am comfortable with this new version of you."

"Let's see if we can fix that." Rachel muttered placing a small kiss on side of the neck of the woman in her arms. Growing more confident when Santana inhaled sharply and goose bumps formed on her skin. "Getting warmer?" she teased, as she ran her teeth along the edge of her ear lobe.

Santana had closed her eyes and found herself leaning into Rachel as her own body betrayed her. She had fought her attraction to the diva in highschool for may reason, the main being that she thought Rachel Berry had been straight, and madly in love with Finn Hudson. She was beginning to have her doubts.

She sat up and moved away from Rachel going around the desk to put space between them. She felt Rachel watch her. Like a lion watches its food as it played with it, letting it believe that it had escaped. What was she doing! This was her dream job, in a dream office, and she was being pushed back into the role of horney teeage cheerleader. She was better than this. And seriously _Rachel Berry_ had her hot under fire? This all made no sense.

"Don't run too hard little mouse." Rachel teased as she stood smirking. She reached into her bag and pulled out her wallet. Took out a business card and handed it to Santana. "Call this number when the documents are ready." she leaned in and kissed Santana on the forehead. "It was good seeing you again Santana."

Santana watched her leave, she was still shaking clutching the grey and purple business card. There wasn't much to the card just 'Berry' and a phone number. But it burned in her hand as she held it her finger going over the groves of the raised letters and numbers.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Santana was gathering her things and heading to the elevator when she was stopped but Divina,

"Ms. Lopez? Ms. Berry is on her way up."

"Finally! We called her three hours ago, didn't we?"

"Yes." Divina hig her smile behind her small coffee cup. "Seems all of you Lima girls do things the way you want."

"Funny, very funny." Santana rolled her eyes and snatched the folder out of Divina's hands and stuck out her tongue it was all so very mature. When the elevator sounded she called over her shoulder. "Come on Tiny let's gets this signed."

"Sure thing Sweet cakes." Rachel called back, laughing when Santana's stride faltered and she caught the looks of a neck flush.

"Oh Honey you and I need to have lunch!" Divina laughed placing her coffee cup down and wiping at her eyes. "Anyone that can hit back that hard needs to be my friend."

Santana watched in annoyance as Rachel reached over Divina's desk and pushed a hair back behind the woman's ear and smiled softly at her. "You have my number, we can make that happen." she winked and then laughed outright when the woman winked back and slapped at her hand. "I think we'll get along perfectly." she said genuinely.

"I have things to do Berry." she called from her desk as she looked over the document again. It was just as she had requested.

"You're awful testy." Rachel said as she plopped into the seat, taking off her glasses and reaching for the contract. "What's the issue?"

"Nothing." Satana muttered, then stepped away again going to the window and looking out. She was glad that Quinn had convinced her to leave the small balcony attached to her office that she could reach by a small hidden door to the left of where she stood. There were going to be days that she needed to catch her breath and it looked like any dealing with Rachel Berry would have her gasping for more than stale air.

"Ok this looks great." Rachel said from where she had left her. " Thank you for rushing it for me." Santana heard her stand and come to stand behind her. "I'll leave you to whatever it is. But I just want you to know that we don't have to be enemies. Not here in New york. Not when we have more in common then not."

Santana turned in time to see Rachel slip out her door flirt a little more with Divina and then she placed her glasses back on and she was smirking at her from between the closing elevator doors. A sigh of relief left her as she watched the door close on the small form blocking her from her view. _What was is that Rachel Berry was doing to her that made her feel like this?_

The adjustment of life in New York was more easy then it should have been, she had been here a little less then a year. Her work life was moving smoothly, her home life was good, and her love life though non existent was what she needed. Sure she missed sex, she missed holding onto someone at night. She missed sharing conversations with someone long into the night. She missed stupid arguments of who lost the control and what they would eat for dinner. But she knew that she had lost herself somewhere along the last eight years and she knew she had to give herself the time to learn who she was. _Like how she really liked her eggs._ But she was meeting new people thanks to Quinn, Brad and Divina. She was going out to dinner, she was catching shows, concerts, and she was working her ass off at work. But she was living and learning.

She was currently sitting on her balcony looking over the Saturday paper with her laptop popped open, she was multitasking like a champ as she sipped her morning café con leche. It was a peaceful morning, one of the many that she had found in New York much to her surprise. Considering it was the city that never sleeps, there was still a quiet calm one can find if they knew where to look. Her computer played soft Etta James music behind her working documents that she had opened. Her phone buzzed on the glass table top. It was a text from Divina.

Any plans? I wanted to go to this new club that opened on 4th and 12th? -Divina texted

Not yet. What time did you want to meet up?- Santana responded

Nothing picks up until 10pm. But we could have a late dinner say 9pm at Fedora?-Divina texted

Ok sounds good see you at 9 . I'll make reservations-Santana texted back. She quickly pulled the restaurant up and made reservations online

All set, see u at 9- Santana confirmed.

By 8 that night she was finishing the makeup around her eyes and giving herself a once over over She looked over her green jumper is was a dress look alike but in the end was a very short pair of shorts trench coat dress like jumper. It was a forest green with an intricate pattern, she matched them with grey translucent like 4 inch stiletto heels, she fussed her hair for more volume. Added some silver hoops to her ears and a cuff wristlet. The finish product reminder her of the old Santana not Layer Santana. _Wanky_

She made the way to the first floor of her building, checking her cell for the uber driver information and spotted the sedan a few feet away. "Kimmi?" she asked to the woman who stood outside the car.

"Santana?"

"Yes that's me" Santana smiled as the woman held the door for her, and they they were on their way with a bit of small talk and traffic.

"I love this dress." Divina greeted her as she met her at the bar.

"Thanks, you look smashing." Santana she said taking in the older woman's body encased elegantly in the black dress that hugged all her italian heritage on display.

She signaled the bartender. "I'll have a jack rose and the lady will have a perfect gin martini straight up." he smiled and began making their drinks. "The reservation is under Lopez in case we're seated before you finish." he nodded again.

"I don't know if I like that yo know my drink order. Either I am predictable, or we drink too much." Divina chucked as they people watched.

"Maybe I just pay attention." Santana said with a raised brow as a man quickly made a bee line for them. "Incoming, be nice" she warned

"I'm always nice." Divina whispered.

"Liar." Santana laughed. The man came closer, leaning on the bar just to the right of Divina he was a good looking older gentleman and he had nothing but eyes for her legal secretary. Chatting her up with small talk Santana ignored the woman's pleading eyes for help.

"Lopez party of two." a bored man called out from the table section. Santana tapped the woman's arm and then glanced at the bartender that acknowledged that they were moving to a table. Divinia was bitching her out in her native language and she just smiled a little more.

"You are absolutely no help." she thanked the waiter took the menu then reached out and hit her boss with the menu. "You are evil. No wonder Quinn calls you Satan."

"Oh leave Tubber out of this. She is impossible, wait until i come clean with all her transgressions, then she won't be saint quinn any longer." Santana laughed and looked over the menu.

"One day I will have all the stories, including the ones of Rachel Berry." Divina has glanced back to her menu so she missed the flushed look of her boss or the slight guilt and fear she had if those stories were ever retold.

They walked the three blocks to the new club. "The Barbara?" Santana confused looking around to make sure that they were they were supposed to be.

"Yes this is it." Davina said and went up to the bouncer and whispered something into his ear and squeezed his arm. He grinned looked over at santana and nodded at them to pass through, he was shaking his head still watching her and grinning.

"What was that all about, what did you tell him." Santana demanded.

"Would you like a locker and a wristband?" the woman asked a the door. Santana looked at the lockers to the right of them.

"Yes." she pulled out her CC for her to scan and connect to the band. And divina did the same next to her, they quickly rented a locker locking in both their fingerprints to lock and unlock the rental if needed later in the night. Sporting only their purple wrist bands they breached the club.

Santana hadn't know what she expected but it wasn't what she thought it would be. There were large pictures of Barbara Streisand framed one on each of the four walls. In the middle was a large raised dance floor, to the north there was a platform that was even higher, maybe a stage she wasn't sure. On the east wall was nothing but the longest bar she had ever seen there were at least 15 bartenders tending it. To the right and left of that there were tall tables that sat four people at a time. And on the west there was a lounging area with built in sofas and chairs. Above the area there looked to be a vip area that was guarded by two big burly men. And just above santana on the south wall was where the DJ was spinning an interesting mix of music some that santana had never heard of but she appreciated the gift that he had for blending.

"Let's get a table." Divina called over the roar of the music and the dancing bodies. A tall blonde woman wearing what must be uniform for the wait staff, a electric purple tube dress that covered all but left nothing for the imagination, stopped at their table.

"Hi I'm Daisy, what can I get you?" she asked handing them the drink menu.

Santana looked over the menu and smiled, she didn't know any of the original and creative drinks on the list. "Surprise me." Daisy giggled and left the table after Divina ordered her martini. "How in the hell did you hear about this place?"

"Oh from one of our clients." she said with wave of her wrist as she looked around the club. 'I can honestly say I haven't been to a club like this before."

"Neither have I. I'm limited to strick dance clubs, strip clubs, bars, and whatnot." Santana leaned into the seat and glanced around. "How long has it been open?"

"They had a soft open on Wednesday, this is there first Saturday." Divina said still soaking it all in.

"They opened on a Wednesday?" santana questioned. That seemed odd.

"Yes it's ladies night on Wednesday. All the woman drink free and they wanted to open to that crowd first." Divina said again as she glanced at her phone and quickly tapped out a message to someone.

"That's actually pretty clever." Santana admitted and said a quick thank you to the waitress that came back to the table with the drinks. She scanned their wrist bands and was on her way. " I like the staff too not intrusive." she sipped her drink and pured. "This is delicious."

"Ladies and gentlemen!" the Dj's voice came over the speakers over the last bit of song. "We've got the next set coming up, take this time to get yourself a drink to enjoy the show. " He spun the next song and santana watched him leave the booth and walk over to someone that was standing in the shadows.

"Do they do live entertainment as well?" Santana asked looking around seeing that the stage was seeming moving out unfolding onto some of the dance floor, and the even more staff members appeared to control the crowd.

"I guess so." divina said looking at her boss with a smile. "You into that kind of stuff?"

"I don't hate it." santana said with a roll of her eyes, she wasn't going to admit that she loved things like that or that music use to be her whole life, until it wasn't.

The lights dimmed and then the sound of an electric guitar hit the air.

 _ **No attorneys**_

 _ **To plead my case**_

 _ **No orbits**_

 _ **To send me into outta space**_

A woman tumbled from the ceiling only being held by a thin piece of cloth. She was all legs and thick brown hair as she unraveled from the ceiling. She touched her feet to the stage and they bounced back over the crowded effortlessly with only the cloth wrapped around her body.

 _ **And my fingers**_

 _ **Are bejeweled**_

 _ **With diamonds and gold**_

 _ **But that ain't gonna help me now**_

 _ **I'm trouble**_

 _ **Yeah trouble now**_

 _ **I'm trouble ya'll**_

 _ **I disturb my town**_

 _ **I'm trouble**_

 _ **Yeah trouble now**_

 _ **I'm trouble ya'll**_

 _ **I got trouble in my town**_

 _ **You think your right**_

 _ **But you were wrong**_

 _ **You tried to take me**_

 _ **But I knew all along**_

 _ **You can take me**_

 _ **For a ride**_

 _ **I'm not a fool out**_

 _ **So you better run and hide**_

 _ **I'm trouble**_

 _ **Yeah trouble now**_

 _ **I'm trouble ya'll**_

 _ **I got trouble in my town**_

 _ **I'm trouble**_

 _ **Yeah trouble now**_

 _ **I'm trouble ya'll**_

 _ **I got trouble in my town**_

 _ **If you see me coming**_

 _ **Down the street then**_

 _ **You know it's time to**_

 _ **Go (and you know it's time to go**_

 _ **'Cause here comes trouble)**_

 _ **No attorneys**_

 _ **To plead my case**_

 _ **No orbits**_

 _ **To send me into outta space**_

 _ **And my fingers**_

 _ **Are bejeweled**_

 _ **With diamonds and gold**_

 _ **But that ain't gonna help me now**_

She came to the ground finally again evaded the cloth, and then it rose to the ceiling again leaving the tiny woman on the stage. Santana starred with disbelief there was little not so Rachel Berry in what was nothing more than a tube top, and tube like pair of shorts on stage. All her tattoos were on display the one on her legs was a freaking dragon that wrapped her leg and clung to her hip.

 _ **You think your right**_

 _ **But you were wrong**_

 _ **You tried to take me**_

 _ **But I knew all along**_

 _ **You can take me**_

 _ **For a ride**_

 _ **'Cause I'm not a fool out**_

 _ **So you better run and hide**_

Behind the singer the dancers came up from behind her and started to dance. She jumped off the stage and slithered into the crowd and kept singing to the people as she moved among them. They crowd loved it they were eating her up , she had them wrapped around her little fingers.

 _ **Trouble**_

 _ **Yeah trouble now**_

 _ **I'm trouble ya'll**_

 _ **I got trouble in my town**_

Santana watched as the slip on material came back down to where the singer was standing and she wrapped around herself and then she was air bound again. Singing her heart out. Santana swore that the singer spotted her and winked. As she flipped and twirled above them as she sung her heart out.

 _ **I'm trouble**_

 _ **Yeah trouble now**_

 _ **I'm trouble ya'll**_

 _ **I got trouble in my town**_

 _ **I got trouble in my town**_

 _ **I got trouble in my town**_

As the song came to an end she touched her feet down, the crowd had come to their feet and made their way to the stage. Santana watched as a stool was placed onto the stage another dancer came with a crochet dress that was more whole than material that Rachel slipped over her head and shimmied it down her body.

"Thank you! A round of applause for my dancers and band." she smiled when they chanted for her. "Ok I'm going to slow it down for the next song and last song. I hope that you enjoy it."

 _ **I ain't lookin for a steady thing  
I ain't lookin for what love brings  
I'm still young and I ain't ready babe  
I'm still lookin for some better days  
I don't wanna give you everything  
I just wanna make you feel things  
If you ain't down to give me everything  
Just throw it away**_

 _ **Don't assume cuz I'm a woman  
That I'll fall in love  
Don't expect I'm young and need to be took care of  
Don't wanna hear you got what I need  
Cuz how would you know before we speak  
You've gotta understand my side  
I've had a crazy, crazy life  
Nobody came along to open up my eyes  
You've gotta take what you can get  
Don't even bother with my heart  
Cuz I get a feeling I won't let it start**_

Santana lost herself in the chorus of the song. She felt the lyrics the way that Rachel kept looking at her as she sang. The crowd was entranced there were no other words. _****_

_**Please believe me  
I've been down this road and back again  
Learned my lesson and it was that love is not my friend  
For the day I put my trust in you  
Would be the day I say "I do"  
Don't expect me just to open up  
Maybe I'm just a little scared  
Please don't tell me what you think I wanna hear  
Oh baby save it, I've heard it all before  
There ain't nothin you could say, whoa, to make me change my ways**_

Santana held her breath as the lights went out and it was pitch dark in the club just rachel's beautiful voice would be heard in the darkness. There wasn't another sound you could hear a pin drop. _ ****_

 _ **So stop falling  
Stop falling  
You know you're falling...for me  
Stop falling  
Stop falling  
Stop falling...for me  
You've gotta understand my side  
I've had a crazy, crazy life  
Nobody came along to open up my eyes  
Oh baby, take what you can get  
Don't even bother with my heart  
I get a feeling I won't let it start**_

When the light turned back on the stage was empty and rolling back into it self. The DJ was playing music that got people on the floor and Santana turned to see a calm Rachel Berry sitting at her table sipping a drink. "Hello Santana."

 _Author Note and Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I don't own the music i use. And for this story to work you have to give me a little inventive rights. Rachel will be "P!nk" as in P!nk doesn't exist because all the songs she wrote in the real world...are actually songs written by and performed by Rachel ( Rachel doesn't actually have a performer presence yet ...she is testing out the waters at the club ….but the theory is that she will be…. So bare with me...give me a little room for making the world in the story a little weird and skewed more of the story will be revealed and the mysteries of Rachel will unravel as it goes along...if it goes along. Lol -thx Taylor_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hello Santana ….was she serious?_ Santana raised a brow and looked at the woman in front of her and then to Divina who was barley containing her laughter at the who of them. "Berry you just keep surprising me, and I don't understand why I haven't just gotten it in my head that you clearly aren't the person that I used to know."

"That isn't completely true, but there are some truths to your words." Rachel grinned as she looked at her drink. "You like your drink?"

"Yes it's delicious."

"It suits you." she smirked and waved at someone from the bar to bring another round. "I'm glad that you came." she said directing that at Divina who was making eyes at a much younger man on the dance floor.

"When Rachel Berry tells you about a club and offers to leave your name at the door… You show up." Davina laughed at Santana who was choking on her drink.

"this was a setup?" she demanded, looking back and forth between the two of them. "That's just dirty." she scowled.

"You need to get out more, Rachel provided an opportunity." Divina said dismissively. "I'm going to see if that man wants to dance with me." with that they watched the woman slip off her stool and stalk her prey on the dance floor.

"Hey Remi… do you think I could get in a dance tonight?" a male voice said from over Santana's shoulder, which she found irritating. _Remi?_

"Sure, maybe a little later Nick." Rachel agreed with a small cocky grin. She watched him leave and then turned back to Santana who was scowling at her. "What?"

"You are so confusing."

"I get that alot." she shrugged.

"So for real what is the deal with you anyway Rachel and why is that guy calling you Remi?"

"My daddy's family name is Remington. When I registered for my second round of college i used his name. By that time I was already a broadway sensation and I didnt want to deal with the attention that would get me. So … Remi is the nickname." she shrugged and sipped her drink.

"Ok so when were here you want me to call you Remi?" Santana asked.

"To be honest you have so many nicknames for me i never thought it would be an issue." Rachel laughed. "It's up to you just not Rachel and not Berry."

"So hobbit and tiny are ok?"

"They happen to be my favourite." Rachel admitted with a grin.

The waiter came by his name tag said 'Hubbell' he was tall thin blonde and oblivious. "OK we have a Hobbit for the singer and a Snixx for her lady friend." Santana just threw her head back and laughed, Rachel right along with her.

"You named drinks after us!" Santana said when she was able to breathe again. "So this has to be your club...it just speaks to you in so many ways. It's all contradictions and bubbly nonsense."

"I'm glad that your approve." Rachel shot her drink back and encouraged Santana to do the same. "Come on let's dance."

Santana woke up the next morning not knowing where she was. It wasn't a familiar room or bed for that matter. _Fuck!_ In a panic she ripped off the bed covers to reveal her still fully dressed. _Better, i think this means i didn't have a random hook up._ She found her shoes and purse at the foot of the bed, her head wasn't pounding as it would normally be. So seemed she wasn't completely hung over, another plus. Taking a deep breath she opened the bedroom door and was relieved when she smelled Divina's perfume in the air. The hallway came into view and she knew where she was. She had never stayed the night before, but she had been over for dinner . She made her way to the kitchen where she heard italian music playing, the closer she got she realized that she knew the recorded voice.

"Is that Berry?" she asked coming around the corner to see Divina making breakfast.

"Yes I have all her Italian pieces." Divina said with a shrug. "Let me guess you didn't know that she is even bigger in West End then here. She is the most perfect Eponine that has graced the stage."

"But she is singing in Italian," Santana said with a frown.

Divina nodded. "She's been a West End sensation since she was very young. I believe she started out as a very young Little Cosette, I think she was six. So yeah she is singing in Italian, I have the French version as well"

 _Six? Who the hell is on stage at age six._ Santana fumed as she pushed her breakfast around her plate. "So how did I end up here last night?"

"My place was closer, and after Rachel left you got super drunk and started crying. She had warned me that when you started down that road that you needed to be cut off and to go to bed. So here you are."

Santana rolled her eyes, good lord she was crying? "Listen when i'm drunk I say stupid things so I'm sorry for whatever i did or said." she said with a blush on her cheek.

"I was too drunk to pay too much attention." Divina laughed it off. "But it was nice to see a different side of you."

"I just bet it was."

It was several weeks before she saw Rachel Berry/Remi again. Funny how she had finally stopped thinking about her; that she saw her. She was walking to the subway when she looked up and there she was. Standing outside a side entrance of some theater, she was talking to a man that was stood near her, the diva looked up at her and gave her one of her priceless Rachel Berry megawatt smiles when she recognized her. Not a tattoo on display, not a hair out of place. Completely composed and perfect as she remembered her at her father's house almost a year ago.

Without a thought she crossed the street, using caution. "Hello again Santana."

"Hey Tiny." she looked around. "I didn't look over a new contract …...so…." she looked at the building, then back at the Diva before her.

"Well I am not currently headlining the show, I'm producing this one." Rachel nodded as two people passed nodding their greeting to her as the man she had been talking to opened the door and let them in.

"Producing, hmmm i like it. It would suit you very well." Santana agreed as she pictured it. "It is anything that I have heard of?"

"No I don't think you would." Rachel said with a smile and a head tilt. "What are you doing for dinner tonight?" she said glancing at her thin watch on her wrist.

"Nothing at the moment." Santana admitted. "You?"

"Same."

"Ok then." Santana said fishing out her phone from her purse. "How about I cook you dinner, You can come back to my place and we can catch up."

Rachel seemed to think that over as she bit her lip. "Ok text me your address and I'll stop by in a few hours say 6?" when Santana nodded Rachel took Santana's phone and entered her phone number in the contacts. "It's under Tiny Hobbit." she grinned and gave the girl a hug. "Ok I have to go in, we're doing a read through today."

Santana found herself pacing back and forth from the kitchen to the front door. Dinner was simmering on the stove, she had redressed in a casual pair of jeans and a form fitting t-shirt going for the casual but delicious look. She had about 20 minutes before Rachel would arrive, she had cleaned her already clean apartment twice, went by making sure all the pictures on the walls were just right. She checked herself out in the mirror too many times to divulge to even herself.

When the doorbell did ring she jumped and laughed at herself. _Why are you so nervous?_ She opened the door and was surprised to see Remi and not Rachel.

"Hey Hobbit."

"Santana." Rachel's lips twisted in a cocky grin as she came into the apartment. "I like your place."

"Thanks." Santana shut the door and leaned against it. "Didn't think that you would have had time to change."

"That's a loaded sentence." she called from the living room window. "Something smells good."

"I just whipped up enchiladas with pumpkin salsa, i figured you might still be vegan and best to play it safe."

"You remembered?" Rachel seemed shocked.

"Of course i did." Santana rolled her eyes.

"I'm a vegitarian these days. I work too much to be pure vegan, I need more protein and well vegan food is still hard to find when on the move in some places." she looked out the window again. "But I really do appreciate that you remembered."

"I do pay attention to details, it's what makes me a good lawyer."

"I bet it does, but that was over 8 years ago."

"Some things you remember." she said nonchalantly "Rachel Berry being a vegan apparently isn't something that falls out of your head."

"Apparently." she agreed softly.

 _Well this is fucking awkward._ Santana fiddled with the silverware that she had sat on the counter. Who would have thought that Rachel Berry couldn't fill silence. But watching her Rachel didn't seem awkward, Santana was. Rachel just seemed to be soaking in the quiet and seemed a peace with it. So Santana pulled out some glasses and poured some of the wine that she had left out to breathe into two long stem glasses and led the way to the balcony. She was relieved when Rachel followed her out and leaned against the stone railing.

"It's peaceful here." the diva announced and Santana hummed her agreement. "You seem better then when I saw you in Lima. "

"I am ." Santana admitted. "I had hit rock bottom and was in Lima licking my wounds." she shrugged. "New York was a fresh start. I got very lucky."

"New York saves a lot of people for a lot of different reasons."

"And you... did it save you?"

"I'll let you know." Rachel said with a tilt of her head and a small salute via a toast.

 _Author Note and Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I don't own the music i use. And for this story to work you have to give me a little inventive rights. Rachel will be "P!nk" as in "P!nk" doesn't exist because all the songs she wrote in the real world...are actually songs written by and performed by Rachel ( Rachel doesn't actually have a performer presence yet ...she is testing out the waters at the club ….but the theory is that she will be…. So bear with me...give me a little room for making the world in the story a little weird and skewed more of the story will be revealed and the mysteries of Rachel will unravel as it goes along...if it goes along. Lol -thx Taylor_


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Dinner wasn't strained, it was quiet, it was peaceful, it was enjoyable. Santana felt fully at ease with the little contradicting Diva. They didn't reminisce, which was surprising to Santana. She thought that Rachel would try to talk about Glee, and their glee friends. But none of that ever came up. They spoke of places that Rachel had traveled on tour, they spoke of Santana''s years of college and then her first year as an attorney. Rachel had laughed when Santana had demanded to know how many languages that Rachel could speak. And admitted that she spoke very little of any of the languages that she sang in. Santana laughed when Rachel admitted that she wasn't able to cook, and never could. Other than baking she wasn't allowed in anyone's kitchen.

"I should go." Rachel said when she saw it was after two in the morning. She smiled at Santana's shocked expression. "Yeah it's pretty late."

"I had no idea it was so late." the Latina blushed and stood up. "I didn't mean to keep you so late."

"I kept myself Santana." Rachel unfolded herself from the sofa, carried her now empty wine glass into the kitchen and rinsed it out and set it on the counter. "I'm glad you invited me, thank you."

"I'm glad you gave it a chance."

"I figured your cooking had to be better then mine," Rachel chuckled. "I burn jell-o"

"That can't...be true" Rachel just shrugged her shoulders. " I mean how do you even do that?"

"Not sure but I lost my first apartment to a kitchen fire, and the second one because the landlady said her insurance didn't cover "Oh look, hot chick."

"What?"

"Story for another time." Rachel leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips. "Sleep well Santana." she shut the door behind her, and Santana was still staring at the door, long after she was gone.

* * *

The following night she was staring at her phone. She had tapped out and erased a text message to Rachel several times, never actually sending the text. _Coward_...she starts again

Hobbit I have to have the details to the loss of the second apartment (Erase)

Hey what are you up to? (Erase)

So when can we get together? (Erase)

Miss your face (Erase-with harsh fingers)

Dinner, your choice? (Erase)

Frustrated she clamps her mouth and lets out a muffled scream. She wasn't bored she had plenty of case work that she could be finishing. But her brain wasn't in the right place she wasn't in the right frame of mind. All she could think about was Rachel/Remi. It was taking over her thoughts.

Her phone buzzed in her hand startling her. She rolled her eyes. "Hi Quinn."

"Hello to you too Satan, Brad andIare going out tonight what to third wheel it?" Quinn laughed at whatever Brad said on their end. "I mean would you like to join us?"

Santana almost said no, but she was worried that she would have non-texted Rachel all night if she did. "Ok, where are we going?"

"Dinner, we'll pick you up in an hour."

They ended up at Piccolo's on Jane St, it was early, her dinner partners were early birds so it was a little after 6 and they were halfway through their meal when she looked up and saw Remi making her way to them. She swallowed too quickly and found herself choking a little, much to her embarrassment. Brad was patting her back as she recovered, Quinn was laughing into her napkin. And Santana just managed to swallow some water when Remi made it to their table.

"You going to live Sweet Cakes?" she asked concern in her eyes but a smirk tilting her lips.

"I just may." she said her voice sounding funny to her.

"Rachel." the tone was flat and a bit cool.

"Hello Quinn, It's been awhile." she said not taking her eyes off Santana as she spoke.

"Hello I don't believe we've met. I am Brad ,I work with Lopez.." he said standing with his hand out.

Rachel flicked him a glace, shook his hand quickly "Nice to meet you Brad, " then it was all eyes on Santana again. "Little early for dinner for you isn't it?"

"A girls gotta eat."

" I suppose so." Santana watched as Rachel's arm flexed showing off a bit of muscle that she wasn't aware the girl had, but it must be from all the acrobatic performance practice, it made the words tattoo on her arm dance.

"If it's too early to eat, what are you doing here?" Quinn questioned with her arms crossing her chest.

Rachel's eyes frosted over and she gave the blonde woman a look that made Santana shiver. There were no words exchanged just the look, the look was enough Quinn shut up, blushed and uncrossed her arms. Rachel turned back to Santana. "When your done here, text me, maybe we can hang out." she leaned in and kissed the latina on the cheek and then she disappeared into the back of the restaurant slipping into the kitchen.

"She's so weird now." Quinn said with a shiver, and a frown as she glanced at santana. "When did you reconnect with Rachel?"

Santana looked over at her. "A little after I came New York.' she pushed the food around her plate. "You didn't seem that surprised about her being different."

"Oh I've witnessed the freak show she is now. "

"Oh so you guys have been hanging out?"

"As if." Quinn muttered. "Not after I knew the truth." she muttered.

Santana became quiet after that, they finished their dinner and parted ways. The awkwardness ruined the night for the two longtime friends. Santana found herself standing outside The Barbara texting Rachel that she was there. It was still super early, but a line had already started to form around the building. The bouncer approached her.

"Lopez?"

"Yes."

"Ok . Follow me." he led her into the club past the lockers and check in girl. Once she past into the hub of the club she spotted the woman she was looking for. She was currently wiping down tables, and chairs.

"Don't you have people to do this?"

"Sure." she said continued to clean. She moved from one table to the next. "You want a drink?" she asked as she continued to clean the already clean tables.

"Okay."

"Maxwell, get the lady a Snixx." she grabbed the broom and started to sweep. The anger was just rolling off the small brunette and Santana was worried for the broom. "Have a seat at the bar Lopez, I'll be right over."

"Thanks." she said when the man placed a drink in front of her. "How long has she been like this?"

"Since she got back from checking on Kramer." he said straightening up behind the bar. "Something pissed her off and it's not that Kramer nearly cut his finger off at his other job."

"Kramer work at the Italian restaurant a few blocks up?"

"On Jane."

"Yeah that's the one. I ran into her there. Guess she was there to check on Kramer,"

"Yes she checks on all of us. Kramer's got two kids that he supports so he needs to work both jobs, but he isn't going to be able to fly for a few weeks,"

"Fly?"

"Yeah that's what we call all the aerial silk performing that we do here. Kramer is one of Remi's fly handlers, but if he's hurt he can't catch her."

"Catch? You mean like in the air jumping or something?" when he nodded she found herself tipping back her drink. _Holy shit flying through the air being caught ?_

"But Remi doesn't care about that , she went to the restaurant to let the manager have it. Kramer kept asking for new knives and they would get them, it's why he got hurt. They were going to fire him, because he got hurt on the job."

"They can't do that, it's against the law." Santana muttered into her drink.

"That's what she said." Maxwell nodded. "She'll just have him do something here while he heals so that she can still get a paycheck and take care of the kiddos." he glanced up , sanata watched in the bar mirror seeing what he saw. Rachel was not lining the tables us and pushing the chairs under the table. "Remi takes care of her own." _She always has._

* * *

 _Author Note and Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I don't own the musicIuse. And for this story to work you have to give me a little inventive rights. Rachel will be "P!nk" as in "P!nk" doesn't exist because all the songs she wrote in the real world...are actually songs written by and performed by Rachel ( Rachel doesn't actually have a performer presence yet ...she is testing out the waters at the club ….but the theory is that she will be…. So bear with me...give me a little room for making the world in the story a little weird and skewed more of the story will be revealed and the mysteries of Rachel will unravel as it goes along...if it goes along. Lol -thx Taylor_


	9. Chapter Nine

**Chapter Nine**

"Come on Lopez."

Santana turned to the sound of Rachel's voice behind her. She slipped off her stool at the bar, said her thanks to Maxwell and followed behind Rachel as they crossed the dance floor and then climbed up the stairs to the VIP area. She took it all in, the comfortable purple and gray colors. The soft sofa the private bar area that was to the left and maned by a single bartender. Quickly she realized that there was several sectioned off private rooms off the main VIP area. She followed Rachel behind one of the thick curtains and wasn't surprised that it was more of of same colors and comfort.

"If you want something just browse through the menu." she said nodding to the table that was sitting on the small table that was in front of them. "It will alert the floor wait staff that you want something."

Santana looked it over but didn't order anything, Instead she placed it back down and took a seat close to where Rachel sat sprawled out. "You okay? You want to talk about it?"

"It's the last thing that I want to do." she laughed ruefully. "I need to smoke, do you mind, I can be back in a few minutes."

"I can come with you?"

"You can if you want." Rachel stood eyes twinking with mirth. "Come on sweet cakes."

Santana found herself once again following the shorter girl, to what had to be the roof. Once they made it here santana noticed that is was clearly set up like a break area there were several sofas and tables and chairs already set up. Rachel went over to a shelf that was set up like a built in against the roof access area, she walked back to santana with a bong and a lighter.

"Ah that kind of smoke." Santana chuckled, she had not smoked since the day before her bar exam in Miami.

"Yeah that is the look I was expecting. I can meet you back down stairs when I am done."

"Spark it up Tiny, It's been too long."

"That's the Santana I remember. I was wondering if you were still in there."

After they had smoked until they had a healthy buzz. Santana found herself cuddled up into Remi sitting across from a few members of the staff that were smoking regular cigarettes. The rhythm of the heartbeat she rested her head on and the calming fingers that were working through her hair, lullin her. There was a certain kinds of peace the way the diva's chest rumbled when she chuckled or how it moved when her voice was echoed as she spoke to the people around her. It was serene, peaceful and most comfortable then she could remember being.

"Hey Remi?"

"Yeah?"

"There's a call for you."

"Can you take a message?" she asked as she pulled Santana in closer.

"Sure." the man who's name Santana couldn't remember nodded and left then to take the message. Santana felt her look at her watch and sighed, and stretched a bit underneath her.

"I'm guessing it's getting close to show time." Santana said moving to sit up.

"Yes and no. I need to do a last run through before we open up." Remi shrugged, and pulled her in for a quick kiss on the lips. "You okay for a little bit?"

"Sure, go do what you need to do." Santana smiled and nodded her head when rachel handed her a water bottle. "See you in a bit Tiny." she laughed when Remi pretended to curtsy in her ripped jeans and jaded transformers tee.

When Remi was gone she found the crews vibe change. It wasn't hostile, but the chill aspect was gone. She turned to look at them and they all seemed to be looking at her. "What?"

"Nothing. Just ….nothing." one of the woman said with a far away look.

"I'm not here to mess things up." she said, more for herself then anyone listening. They nodded but they all had a grin on their faces as they all took a swig of their beer. "We're just old friends." again more for her own benefit

Again with the cryptic nods and the insync drinking. "You guys suck." two of them laughed hard enough to spit their beers, _Bet bitches._ Santana chuckled as she left the roof and made her way to the ground floor, and selected a table.

She watched the scramble of normal front house frenzie before opening. She watched as lights were checked, glasses and taps were inspected, all staff lined up, Remi making adjustments. Santana laughed when she pulled up someone's top and pulled the bottom down on another to cover them more. The Dj inspected his equipment, playing each speaker independently and Remi nodded with each except the last and they worked together to have that one readjusted. They came together in a circle soft words were murmured among them a cheer when up and they seperated. The lights dimmed, music started to pump through the speakers, and the doors opened.

Santana smiled when Remi slipped into the booth with her drinks in her hand. "Hi."

Remi's answer was to slide closer and kiss her on the neck as she wrapped her arm around the lawyer's shoulders. _Words were overrated._

* * *

 _Author Note and Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I don't own the musicIuse. And for this story to work you have to give me a little inventive rights. Rachel will be "P!nk" as in "P!nk" doesn't exist because all the songs she wrote in the real world...are actually songs written by and performed by Rachel ( Rachel doesn't actually have a performer presence yet ...she is testing out the waters at the club ….but the theory is that she will be…. So bear with me...give me a little room for making the world in the story a little weird and skewed more of the story will be revealed and the mysteries of Rachel will unravel as it goes along...if it goes along. Lol -thx Taylor_


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

They carried on like that for a few weeks. They would have dinner on Wednesday at Satana's, perfore Rami went to the club to perform. Then they would be at the club on Friday, and Saturday from 7pm to 3am they would part ways going on to whatever they had going on until they would meet again Wednesday.

It was all flirting, smoking, drinking, dancing, dinner, and friendship. It was great. _**IT WAS AWFUL**_ She wanted more, or the chance for more. They hadn't even kissed but god did she want to. She wanted it so badly that she couldn't think straight. She was too scared to ruin what they had to push for more, and Remi seemed more then happy to remain friends. It was going to be the death of her.

The knock on her door pulled her from her troubling thoughts, it opened to reveal Brads head as he peeked in. "You got a second?"

"Come in." she said with a smile. Since the Q & Remi reunion things had been strained with Q and herself and that has caused a slight rift with Brad and Santana hanging out. They still were good friends, but it was now only here at the office. It wasn't voiced but she was under the impression she was invited to be their third wheel anymore.

"So how are things?" he started off awkwardly sitting in one of the chairs that faced santana's desk.

"Good. You?"

"Good, but I hate this tension." he admitted with a frown.

"Brad you and I don't have tension. Don't worry about that. Just be glad that Tubbers have adulted enough not to resort to slapping one another when we're angry, and not our big girl words."

"I think i'm glad that I missed those years." he chuckled. "But I bet it was something to see." he relaxed a bit and shifted into the seat a bit more. "I hear to let you know that Denny is returning next week, and that life as we know it will be rocked until he is off again,"

"Fantastic." she leaned back into her chair and cracked her neck. "I'll be in court all next week, and was planning to pregame at home."

"Do that. Don't change things up because he will be here." Brad nodded. "Plus the less he sees of us the less and can bitch about nonexistent issues." they both chuckled. "I'm in here to pick your brain. Quinn told me you know a few things about my new client, when she saw the file on my desk." Santana quirked her brow. "Noah Puckerman, does that sound familiar?"

Santana shook her head. "Yes it does. Maybe you should had him over to me, you might have a conflict of interest."

"That's what i figured. He's Beth's dad isn't he." he pinched the top of his nose.

"Listen that was a long time ago. Q doesn't like to think about it. She didn't tell you because she doesn't like to be reminded of that part of her life." Satana said softly. "She doesn't want you to think less of her."

"I would never."

"I know that, you know that. But Q had a hard early life and acceptance was sadly lacking and some things from youth are harder to overcome than others. I'll take this client and you can have my next one." she smiled. "I'd love to know what that moron is up to these days, and here in New York."

"It's a relief I'm not going to lie, thank you for this. Quinn is my world, i don't like her being upset. And she is already upset for the barrier that she put in place between you and her over that Rachel person."

"I know Brad. I've known Q enough to know she feels bad, and that she is pushing me away to protect something. What that something is I don't know, and maybe I never find out. But I know who she is and I'm confident that it will work out. It always does."

"I hope so." he smiled sadly and then after a little more small talk he was on his way. Santana called out to Divina and asked her to have the file on Puckerman brought to her. She just would live to know what kind of trouble he had gotten himself into now.

* * *

Santana called out to Remi when she knocked on the door, she was in the middle of pulling the egg plant out of the oven., She grinned when the door opened and revealed Remi in tiny red shorts, tall chuck sneakers that laced up half her calf and completed with a carebear faded tee. Her hair was braided to one side and her sunglasses were atop her head. In her hands she held two bottles of wine.

"Just in time."

"As always." Santana smiled and placed the dish on top of the oven burners. She flipped off the oven mits and pulled the dina into a hug, laughing when the wine bottles prevented the return hug. "I need this, it was a hectic day." she whispered into her ear.

She felt herself being shifted backwards, the bottles being placed on the counter and then she was lifted off the ground into a tight hug. "Then you deserve a proper hug." Remi said in a husky voice. Santana shivered and wrapped her legs around Remi's hips. She borrowed her head into her neck, loving the smell that was a combination of Rachel Berry and Remi, it was impossible to describe."Do you need to talk about it?" she asked between kisses on her neck, chin, nose.

"Not really," she whispered looking into the brown orbs that swirled and absorbed every piece of her. _Fuck it_ Santana leaned in and sealed their lips together, and tightened her limbs around the mystery in her arms.

In a blur of movement that was all lips, teeth, and hands she was laid out on the counter heaving breaths, panting as Remi had her way with her. Her shirt was pushed over her head and trapping her arms as lips conquered every bit of exposed skin. _At least my underwear matches._ Fingernails were being raked down her exposed abs, she shivered as her skin broke out. She blinked and her pants were gone.

"God your gorgeous." the words were whispered in wonder. There were more words but Santata couldn't focus on them. There were kisses, there were hands, nails, teeth, lips, fingers. It was insane, it was the most intimate love making that she had ever experienced and she was still laying there in her underwear, a quivering mess.

"Please s-stop teasing." she begged.

"Mi belleza." Remi leaned over the counter and brought their lips together and her fingers slipped past Santana's panties. "Fuck you're so wet." Remi muttered as her fingers slipped into the latina's wet folds.

"Dios mio." Santana's breath caught in her body and she leaned up and took possession of Remi's lips, her eyes rolling in the back of her head when Remi's fingers entered her finally. Groaning loudly breaking the kiss. "Fuck." she moaned. Santana kicked her hips into each of the trusts and felt the first stirring of her orgasm as Remi started biting and sucking on her neck as she caught the perfect rhythm to keep Santana on the edge. "So close."

Remi smiled pressed hard on Santana's clit and plunged 3 fingers into her lover then kissed away Santana's scream as she came undone around her fingers. She guided her through her orgasm and once her body stopped quaking Remi removed her fingers and bringing them to her mouth she licked them clean, moaning when the taste hit her tongue.

Remi leaned over and pulled the very lethargic woman into her arms. "Feel better Sweet Cakes?" she chuckled when Santana put her two thumbs up.

* * *

 _Author Note and Disclaimer: I don't own Glee. I don't own the musicIuse. And for this story to work you have to give me a little inventive rights. Rachel will be "P!nk" as in "P!nk" doesn't exist because all the songs she wrote in the real world...are actually songs written by and performed by Rachel ( Rachel doesn't actually have a performer presence yet ...she is testing out the waters at the club ….but the theory is that she will be…. So bear with me...give me a little room for making the world in the story a little weird and skewed more of the story will be revealed and the mysteries of Rachel will unravel as it goes along...if it goes along. Lol -thx Taylor_


End file.
